A Provoked Duel
by Gibson18
Summary: After the destruction of Zeal Kingdom, Crono's friends search desperately for a trace of him as they come to terms with his death. The story is now completed. Critique my story all opinions, whether they be harsh or praising and I'll critique yours. Als
1. Fireside reflection

_**A Provoked Duel**_

By: Gibson22

"Do not be afraid of me, little one. I mean thee no harm."

"I believe you. Are you a monster, though?"

"My guise may be that of a beast, but fear not. I hath the heart of a man."

"Were you always like this?"

"So many questions for one so little!"

"I'm sorry, sir...what is your name?"

"Frog, my friend. I hath the appearance, therefore I own the title."

"Frog...can we play? You must be fast at playing hide-and-go-seek."

"Mayhaps we can in the morning. The events of the day may have exhausted you, little one."

    A dark figure huddled over a campfire as he shivered from the cold. As he warmed his hands over the warm, orange flames he had done something that he had done every single night since that horrible morning; he observed his hands. His hands used to be calloused, tanned, and well-used from hours of sword practice. Now, his hands were webbed and horribly distorted in a dark green color so that they were grotesque to the human eyes. The rest of his body which used to be tall, dark, and handsome, had become short, stubby, and revolting. Even then, that didn't bother him as much as the sight of his hands. He couldn't see himself, only when he would look into a mirror; but his hands were always in front of him reminding him of his cruel fate. He was so disturbed by the sight that he hid his hands behind long, white, leather gloves so that he would never be constantly aware of his curse. However, on nights such as these, where the winds blow fresh driven snow in sharp, stinging hordes, gloves did little to fully warm him.

    At that moment he was inside a wooden hut that was hastily built for refugees of a recent crisis. As he looked about him, there were dozens of others wrapped in thick blankets, each and everyone lying on a fur blanket that covered a clean-swept, dirt floor. A few fires, other than his own, were in different places inside the hut and each one had several inhabitants huddled closely towards it. As he watched the victims of the catastrophic fall of the Zeal Kingdom (which was figurative and literal) his heart leapt into the base of his throat and he thought he would cry. With the fall of the Zeal Kingdom came the death of a beloved friend who saw him as he really was, despite his curse. With a heart full of bravery and sacrificing courage, he bore the pains of death to save his friends. The tears came to the brim of his eyes as he felt two salty streams flow down his cheeks. He wasn't the only one who was shedding tears over the death of his friend. A beautiful princess, who was huddled at his same campfire, shed tears of sorrow even as she slept, as well as the martyr's closest friend who had tried her hardest to hide her feelings towards any circumstance; but at the death of her childhood friend she had broken down and cried as she had never done before. Even this battle-hardened figure, who hadn't cried over his horrible curse, began to sob at the thought of his murdered friend.

    It was only a day ago when this had happened. It would be unbelievable to anyone else from any time to believe it. A rent in time had occurred and this battle-hardened figure began to embark on an adventure through the depths of time and history. It was brought to his attention that an evil being would come to destroy the world in a far off time. It was unbelievable until he was thrown into another time as well. Events had brought the small group of misfits so close that they were almost considered a family. However, their latest adventure had taken them to a world frozen in ice that had existed twelve millennia and four hundred years before his time. Above that frigid world was a paradise that existed in the clouds. The paradise used the very power of the evil entity to sustain its prosperity, but a greedy queen and her plans had upset that unstable balance and brought its dynasty to a cataclysmic end. Now the clouds had dispersed and the sun had shone through as it hadn't done in eras. However, that evil entity remained under the earth to resurface in that distant time and bring about the death of the world. At that point, the cloaked warrior wished not to pursue the journey further. Just like the others, after the death of their valued friend, the glimmer of hope in their eyes had gone. Their friend, who was the strongest of all of them, had been torn about like a rag doll. Would not the same thing happen to them as well?

    The scene of his friend's death played before him again. While the rest of them were incapacitated, Crono was able to stand alone. Even the great and powerful Magus was sprawled on the floor, groaning in agony, with an evident feeling of resentment as he was saved by one of his most rivaled enemies. At that moment Frog smiled diminutively as he reflected on the wizard's apparent anger and frustration. Then, like a crumbling dam, memories (mostly unpleasant ones) began to pour into his mind. A burning hatred filled his bosom as he watched the fire. He saw himself as he once was; a handsome man who was aspiring to become a knight and aide to the royal family. He saw his friend, who was very much like Crono, die before his eyes. That damned wizard had taken all that he had with that horrible curse. As Frog looked down at his hands once more, he saw that they were clenched tightly and shaking. Then he thought again of Crono and his death. Frog's burning hatred then wanted for revenge against that evil entity...

"Lavos..." Frog's throaty voice rumbled as he let that vile name leave his mouth.

    At that moment Frog felt overwhelmed, realizing that revenge was his sole motive for living on. A deep feeling of powerlessness consumed him so that he simply bowed his head in silence. For the first time in years, he said a silent prayer within him as the fire crackled on. He spoke in his low, throaty voice as he begged almighty god for guidance. "Frog?" A soft voice called to him during his entreaty. His prayer was broken as his eyes slowly opened and looked towards his friend who was sprawled out on the floor, with eyes puffy and slightly red from an unceasing cry hours before. "Hmm..." Frog let out a low growl (non-menacing) as he looked towards Princess Nadia. The princess slowly made her way to his side and sat next to him, shifting her blanket so that it hung about her shoulders. Despite her love for Frog, she rarely touched him, which was the same for the others; except for Crono, who had never flinched at his friend's appearance. However, at this moment she put her arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. "Have I awakened thee?" Frog asked her, after a few moments. She shook her head, letting her long golden locks flow back and forth.

    She looked into the same fire, but it seemed her mind was somewhere else. A few minutes passed in silence; a silence which was not as lonely as it was when it was Frog by his lonesome. It was rather peaceful at that moment as the fire snapped and twisted at the withering logs. "You were thinking about Crono too, weren't you?" Frog nodded, his large amphibian chin bunching up at the base of his throat. "Aye, above many things. He is not the sole occupant of my thoughts." The princess did not let her gaze leave the fire and it seemed to anyone else that she was in a thoughtful stupor, but that was far from the truth. Her mind was a raging torrent of thoughts and emotions which were all caused from the last few days. "The worst thing to me is the memory of that little kid telling us that someone would die, and we still couldn't do anything about it. I never thought that it would be him. He just seemed too strong."

"Aye."

    Another moment of silence ensued, but it was broken by the most peculiar question. "Were you just praying now?" The princess' gaze was now fixed on Frog, but he continued to stare into the fire. "Yes, I was." The princess nodded, "I never knew you were the prayerful type." Frog smiled, and laughed slightly inside of himself, "In my youth I visited the cathedral with Cyrus every single Sunday. That was one thing I have always admired in Cyrus. He always would say that his service would always be to god, then country, and then lastly to the king. His majesty would always jokingly accuse him of treason." Frog laughed now at the thought as did Marle. He quickly, but difficultly subdued himself. He let out a long sigh and simply whispered, "Oh how I miss him. He was not only my friend, but he was my brother."

"Are you talking about Cyrus?" Marle asked softly.

"I speak of them both." Frog answered, and his heart burned within him at those words.

"Well, at least you have your family." She said.

"What doth thy word mean?" He said, turning to her.

"You still have a brother and three sisters." She said to him with a teary smile.

"Aye." Frog said, quickly becoming overcome with emotion.

    To his surprise, Marle's arms quickly encompassed him. Slowly, and hesitantly, he let his arms encircle her in an embrace. She slowly pulled away from him and stood once again and retreated to her spot. As she lay down she looked at Frog one last time. "I hope god answers your prayer." Frog nodded slowly and said, "He already has, my friend. He already has." She looked at him and smiled knowingly and she slept deeply and cried no more. As for the battle-hardened figure, he closed his eyes once again and said a prayer of thanks before he laid himself down by the hearth and went into a deep, comfortable slumber.

Author's Note: I do not own the Chrono Trigger franchise nor do I own any of the characters.


	2. The strength of denile

**_The Provoked Duel_**

**part two of three**

**by: Gibson**

The day had come once again, and there were some who had feared that it wouldn't. The recent disaster was thought of as the end of the world for some. Many of the people who had fallen from the Kingdom of Zeal expected to meet a cold end. However, because of the merits and the kindness of those whom they thought of as inferior, their lives were preserved and they were able to see the sun rise again. Although there was a small amount of resentment among them, they were generally grateful for the generosity of the earthbound people; a race that had no magical abilities. Although many deaths were prevented, even still, millions had fallen to their death, and the few that survived the fall had obviously died in the depths of an icy sea. It was a turbulent time, but history and the future would prove it to be a turning point.

Our familiar company had no fear of the end of the world, but only they feared the absolute and undeniable death of their friend. Although they had seen his death with their very eyes they continued to search for him among the survivors. Everyday for a week was spent aiding the survivors and searching for more of them along the coastline. The survivors washed ashore; some of them were badly wounded, and some were found dead. Like every singular revolutionary part of history it was met with a cascade of human emotions. Families would cry as they were reunited, and others would cry when the death of a loved one was confirmed. Frog and his friends were met with these same emotions as they faced disappointment day after day. It became the norm to spend quiet evenings sitting in front of a campfire. No one could find the heart to speak, having been so happy to have saved so many people but yet, facing the crushing disappointment of not finding Crono's body to confirm an already obvious fact: Crono was dead and he wasn't coming back.

The days had passed by, one after the other. After a week the amount of survivors found along the coast began to dwindle. The situation began to look dimmer and dimmer on Crono making it out alive. Nonetheless, the trio would still search the coast. Their search became so frantic that they went as far to make various trips through time so that their whole group was able to assist. Even so, there was still no sight of that friendly youth from Guardia Kingdom. The truth had begun to dawn on the party, yet they still denied it and searched only more diligently. The days continued to pass by until two weeks had come and gone. The last survivor who had been alive was recovered half-way through the second week. The rest had been dead, frozen bodies.

As the second week came to a close, the group sat around a campfire. The hut had become empty as they helped to build more for the other survivors. In just a few short days they had helped establish a strong village of people who were still engaged in saving others. Even still, it was not enough. A cold wind blew through the flap of the hut and circled the room, chilling them all to the bone, except Robo (who, well, had no bones) Lucca began to shiver as she looked into the campfire. Even though she was wrapped in fur coats from her feet to her neck, she could feel the air weaving through the folds of her attire. She, like the rest of the party, had begun to get a little pale and sick from their long excursions through the tundra. They had also become easily irritable from their exhaustion. Over the course of two weeks, the party had been overly optimistic, but then they began to feel a deep depressing hopelessness, but not a single one of them dare mention to stop their search. However, that night, the option had been mentioned the first time that night by the person that was least expected to say it.

Lucca drew in a deep sigh as see stared off into the fire. It almost seemed as if she was building up the courage to say something bold and offensive. Finally, she said quietly, "What if we continue looking for a way to defeat Lavos?" All eyes had turned to Lucca except for Marle's, who continued to stare at the fire blankly. Ayla, who was usually loud and well opinionated, was quiet in her response to Lucca's query. "We no find Crono. We no defeat Lavos with no Crono." Lucca sighed again deeply, "Well, what if we don't find him? What if he's…well…"

"He's not."

Everyone turned towards Marle now, whose eyes were still staring deeply into the licking flames. Her response was curt and brief and filled with conviction. There were small beads of tears in her eyes that rolled down he cheeks whenever she blinked. She was sitting up, her arms propped against her knees, and the bottom-half part of her face was covered by her sleeves. The party was quiet for some time until someone dared to speak again. It was Robo who spoke next, although he was reluctant to do so, "We should begin to consider the fact that he is…"

"HE'S NOT DEAD!"

Marle was no longer sitting, but was standing on her feet, her neck craned so that it looked very tense. Her fists were clenched so tight that the knuckles had gone white. She had yelled this out so loud that a few people in neighboring huts were roused from their sleep. The party looked at her with a look of pity as remained defiant against any type of suspicion that Crono could be dead. She said it once again, quietly and quaking with tears as she slowly sat back down on the ground. She shook her head as Lucca quietly whispered a curse-word to herself. Ayla simply looked down at her crossed legs, unwilling herself to go down that road, but she was realizing that it was entirely possible that even if Crono did survive the blast he couldn't have possibly survived the fall. Robo, being a robot, was completely logical in his thinking and had realized long ago that Crono could never have survived such a strong blast. Frog, who had searched his soul so diligently, had failed to feel any stirring within him, which usually meant a negative answer. Only Marle was clinging to this hope so diligently that it occupied her every thought.

Suddenly, a sense of realization and determination had sunk into Lucca that her eyebrows furrowed as she said it resolutely and with utmost certainty. "No, Marle. Crono is dead." An unbelievably amount of tension could be felt within that moment. Eyes looked around at each other while Marle and Lucca stared at each other. Marle was grasping the ends of her sleeves while her arms were crossed once again while Lucca's jaw began to clench as it had always done during dangerous times. The princess, who had been taught to restrain herself and how to control her feelings, had completely forgotten all those lessons as she sneered at Lucca and said, "And you call yourself his friend. You say you care for him. You say that you would do anything for him. Well look at you now!"

Marle yelled out so loud and suddenly that the party jolted upright. Lucca was the only one who did no such thing. Instead, her brow crinkled in anger and her voice began to rise to meet Marle's volume. "Who are you to talk about being a friend? I have known him my whole life! I have always been with him! How long have you known him? Three months? Four months? I loved him! I trusted him more than anyone! So don't you dare question my friendship with him! You spoiled little brat! You want everything your way? Well life isn't always what you want! We can't just bring him back! I don't want to say it either but he's gone and there is nothing we can do about it! Be reasonable!"

Marle glared angrily as she retorted, "You be reasonable! You be logical! That's what you are best at! You only care about yourself! If you truly loved him you wouldn't stop looking just because it seems hopeless! You don't love him! You never loved him! He wouldn't give up on you! He would look for you until he found you! He would get it done! If you were his friend then you would be the same! You don't love him! You're giving up! He's not your friend!"

"He's my brother!" Lucca shouted with much exasperation.

That had done it. The arguing had stopped abruptly as the party sat in silence. Lucca looked down at her feet. In the midst of their argument the two had jumped to their feet while pointing fingers at each other. A few streams of tears went down her cheeks as she continued, choking in between her sobs. "Do you think I want to stop looking? Do you think I want to accept that he's dead? Do you think I really want to go on without him? Don't you realize that he was the only person that I ever truly cared about more than myself? Don't you realize that if I could I would take his place? I would rather die than go through what I'm experiencing now. I loved him like a brother, but I had always hoped that there would be more between us. Now that will never have a chance to happen. He died before I could tell him how I…" She stopped right there as she sunk to her knees and began to cry again. She wrapped her arms around herself as Marle dared not to look into her eyes. Marle only looked down at her feet as she felt a horrible sinking sensation within herself as remembered her cruel words.

Ayla looked up and began to say her piece as Lucca continued to cry. Usually her speaking was primitive and sounded barbaric, but it had been lost in her sincere expression of her feelings towards her friend. "I never thought that death could happen to someone as strong as me. When I met Crono I knew he was stronger than I was. He died before my eyes. I saw him defeated. It happened so easily…so quickly…It took his death for me to realize that I could die too… I loved him too…but now I can never tell him…I can't believe he's gone…I don't want to believe it…" At that point, Robo said a few words, beginning to sense new things that he had never felt before. "It won't help us if we don't accept it. Crono wouldn't want us to stay here and mourn over him for too long."

Frog sighed and stood up as Marle sunk back down to the floor, "It is time that we accept it and be done with it. This is for Crono's sake where're he may be. He wouldst not allow us the displeasure to continually brood over his demise. He is in better hands now, and I believe that with all mine heart. He would want us to continue our quest to bring an end to all this pain. I say we continue on with it, as a payment of respect to him. It is what he wanted." Frog clenched his gloved hand and looked down into it. "I shall never forget him. There was no other like him in this world; past or present. I will avenge him." At these words a new sense of purpose emerged within the group as the idea of revenge seeped into their hearts. A sense of anger was mingled with that purpose as Marle nodded her head.

"I knew it too." She said quietly. "I just didn't want to believe it." Frog put his hand on her shoulder as she looked back into the fire. As the group silently agreed with the vow that Frog had made, they all stared into the fire and reflected on all their experiences with all their allies. Marle wiped her eyes as she stared into the fire and said, "Please, can't we stay one more week? I promise that we can leave after that. After that I will believe that he's…he's…gone." It seemed as if Lucca was the one to make this choice, she being to first to voice her opinion. She nodded in reply and a weak smile crept across Marle's face. "Thank you. Thank you everyone. I just don't want to leave. Not yet…"

As the group went to sleep the wind blew outside and a wolf howled in the distance. The moon was shining brilliantly over the village and for the rest of that night there was no doubt about what to do next. A new purpose had been fixed to their objective, only strengthening their resolve. While their battle had been against an enemy that had never hurt them directly, it was difficult to be adamant. Now it was personal and it had a weightier purpose than ever before.


	3. The establishment of a capital and a str...

Surprisingly, the princess was true to her word after all. It weighed heavily on Frog's mind throughout the whole week that Princess Nadia would need further persuasion to abandon their designs. Sure enough, like any other week, it came and it had gone. There were no more survivors. There were no more bodies. The coastline was free from anything but wild beasts who most likely fed themselves on any bodies that no one had the chance to recover and bury. The people of the village began to be more and more cheerful and nightly they would gather together outside (for the winds had almost completely stopped at this point) and it was warm enough that people didn't have to wear their heavy mantles by the fire anymore. The gentle, but unyielding warmth of the sun began to lighten people's hopes and it seemed to make them feel better about the future ahead of them. Perhaps the general mood had an adverse effect on Princess Nadia, because at that moment she was packing her things without a word.

She said nothing at all. Whenever anyone asked her a question she would nod or shake her head in response. Lucca was almost the same way in her replies when she was preparing. Ayla was unusually somber whenever she spoke and she always spoke quietly. Robo, who usually did not fully comprehend the complexities of human emotion, was very careful not to put anything bluntly. As for Frog, he had a strange feeling brewing within him. It wasn't like the others. He felt reluctance to leave, yes; but with that was a feeling of anxiety. It felt like something was going to happen today. He gripped the hilt of his sword and he turned to every single sound with a startled expression. The others had noticed, but only attributed his reaction to the cause of their reactions. Nothing was said.

All five of them left the hut and went out into the open. If they weren't so exhausted and disheveled by their recent experiences, they would have taken a look at the sky that was nothing but cloudy before. A warm sun beamed down on them and it made the thick snow glow under its bask. Little children (whether it was Earthbound children or children from the kingdom of Zeal, there was no animosity between children anymore) played together as the grown-ups went about to bring further order to their world. Already there were dirt roads cleared of snow that led from one hut to another. The party did take note of a large building that was being constructed from stone and a strange sense of nostalgia filled them as they looked at it.

"Hold." Frog said.

He walked towards the site and looked at it. The foundation was being laid at the moment and a few walls were set up only a few feet off the ground. The party had followed him and had become stunned when they realized that some people were constructing church paraphernalia. Frog saw a man that they all knew off in the distance. It was the same man who pulled them ashore after the fall of the Zeal Kingdom. He was the elder of the village, or the chieftain if you will, and he was observing the work on the foundation. Frog stood behind him and cleared his throat for his attention.

The elder spun around. He was an old man with a long, wispy, white beard. His eyes drooped and he had wild eyebrows that seemed to stand up wherever they wanted to be. He was adorned in a thick mantle like most of the people in the village, except he carried a sturdy wooden staff to support himself. His voice was slow and raspy, but it was gentle and soothing to listen to as well. He smiled as he greeted all of his friends, "Ah, it is the heroes of Guardia!" They were all taken aback by such a familiar name spoken in such a place. "How do you know of it?" Said Frog. It was not known among any others that they had control over time and used it to set off on a quest, and they were shocked to hear him mention their hometown. The old man's face contorted in confusion, "What do you mean, 'how do you know of it?'" The elder pointed with his staff to the foundation and said, "This is a church that we are building so that people can be comforted in these dark times, but it is only the beginning."

He hobbled along the site while the party followed. He stopped in front of a man who was wearing the same kind of clothes as the elder, but he wore a gold bracelet that was made in the Kingdom of Zeal. "This is an architect that worked with the three sages on various projects." The man extended his hand to Princess Nadia, trying to tactfully ignore Frog. He smiled brightly to the group and seemed very enthusiastic. "Yes, yes! You may not remember me, but I am one of the hundreds that you saved. Thank you so much for saving me!"

Frog simply ignored him back and talked to the elder and asked him what the beginning was and what was to come next. The elder laughed, "Ho, ho! I'm sorry! I'm getting ahead of myself!" Just as quickly as he had led them around, he took on a reverent tone of voice as he explained what his words meant. He walked along as he spoke. "Everyone was devastated by the fall of the kingdom of Zeal. True the gifted ones had the hardest blow, but it came hard to the earthbound as well. Tidal waves engulfed entire villages in other places. The tidal wave had destroyed the order of the old tribes. Not only that, but the government of Zeal had lost its leaders in the fray. Over these last few weeks the eldest of both groups gathered together nightly to decide on an action. We decided to build a new kingdom that will rival the Kingdom of Zeal itself in all its glory!"

A wave of understanding and amazement had come over the party. Marle, who hadn't said a single word that whole morning, stated what was slowly starting to become obvious, "So, since we are the heroes of Guardia…You must mean that that is the name of the new kingdom?" The rest of the party felt chills going up their spines (except Robo of course, who had no spine) and it felt like such an honor to see the very construction of history in the making. The elder nodded in reply, "We have no time to waste, because the lifeblood of the peoples' magic is beginning to fade from them."

"But why?" Lucca asked.

It was the man from Zeal who could answer this question. He looked sorrowful as if he had committed a great sin and was going through confession. "The people of my kingdom had grown lazy from having such power given to them. We no longer needed to do anything. For hundreds of years, while the earthbound people toiled with their hands, we relied on the power of Lavos to supply us. We grew careless and our powers had atrophied. Had we used our own power and not the power from the Mammon machine we could have kept it and strengthened it through our bloodline. Since we had not, and relied on an unsafe power, we had forgotten how to strengthen and retain our skills."

Ayla rubbed her forehead in confusion and growled. The man looked at her and realized she didn't understand. "Let me explain it this way: if a wolf becomes a mother, she needs to teach her children how to hunt, correct?" Ayla nodded. "Well, what if they became dependent on a stronger animal to feed them and the mother never taught her children? Once the stronger animal leaves once the mother is dead and the children are all grown up, will they know how to hunt?" Ayla clapped her hands and smiled broadly, and the man saw that she understood. "We are foolish cubs who were too lazy to do things ourselves, and our punishment is this. Now we are a burden and can do nothing but try to do what we can through instincts. We must do what we can before our magic fades. In the end, it is better this way. There will be nothing to separate us when we finally all learn to live together."

"Aye. It is well. I respect thy resolve. And I wish you all well." Frog said, giving them a nonchalant wave farewell.

"Are you leaving?" asked the elder.

"Yes."

"But where can you possibly go? There is no other place!"

"No," interrupted Robo, "there is a place, but only we can go."

The elder chuckled as he shook his head. "I could never understand just what you guys were up to, so I will let you do whatever is needed. I only wished we could have helped you find your friend." There was an awkward silence among them all at his mention of Crono. He quickly tried to remedy this with something he suddenly remembered. "Are you taking that apparatus with you by any chance?" He pointed over a hill to where a ship lay in wait to take them beyond the flow of time. It was a beautiful device designed by one of the wise men of Zeal and it carried the name Epoch. Lucca answered in the affirmative as the man nodded in understanding and added, "Before you leave, you should visit someone that has been asking for you."

The attention of the party instantly became piqued at the mention of someone looking for them. The women of the group even went as far to think it was Crono, but quickly realized that if that were the case the elder would have told them a long time ago. If Frog had eyebrows, they would have risen at that moment. "Do you know the identity of the man?" The elder shook his head, "No sir. This man was different. Something was strange about this one. He almost seemed unworldly and malicious. If I were you, I wouldn't go." Frog held his chin as he had always done whenever he was deep in thought. Suddenly, he remembered how he felt earlier that morning and felt that this was somehow connected. In fact, a strange sense of anxiety flooded into him as he thought of it.

"Frog? Are we going?"

"What?" He asked.

"Are we going?" Asked Lucca.

"What is it thou asketh of me? Am I now the leader of this party?" He said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"Yes." Ayla replied.

"Crono had always asked you what should happen next if he could never think of anything." Marle added.

"A knight has far more tactical insight than any of us possess." Robo added. "You are the natural choice."

At that moment the anxiety seemed to turn sour in his stomach. Frog was the type of person that would bravely follow anyone into battle, but he never was willing to lead someone into something that was dangerous. Crono had done that, but he was able to atone for it with his life. Would Frog be capable of that same sacrifice? Was this anxiety nothing? Would it really be safe to pursue something that stirred Frog so much in the soul? What if it resulted in another death? What if this was really important? What if it could be Crono (as absurd as that could be)? So many questions went into him that he felt paralyzed with choices. Thankfully, a member of the group suggested that it was most likely nothing. That helped Frog enough insomuch that he agreed to visit whoever was hunting them out.

As the party moved towards the Epoch, Frog whispered to himself, "Mayhaps it is nothing but sorrow I feel…Strange sorrow…"

It was always exhilarating to fly in the Epoch. Sometimes you would fly alongside a group of birds as you zoomed past clouds and the birds didn't seem to care about your presence. The land below had small spots of green poking out from underneath the snow, so the party had realized for the first time that the world had already begun to change. Lucca was the aviator, being the most able of all of them to drive, and she did so expertly. They all almost forgot their sorrow as she would dive close to the surface of the sea and let the wing dip into the surf. Finally, the appointed meeting place came into view. The elder had said that there was an old place to the north that had once been a place of prophesies to the old tribes. It had long been forgotten and only become a part of ancient history. From the sky there was someone visible who was looking back at them.

"Who is that?" Marle asked, her nose pressed against the dome-shaped window.

"Why don't you ask him?" said Lucca with a smirk as she tipped the Epoch so that Marle fell against the window.

Marle shrieked and the party laughed as she realized that the window was unbreakable. That didn't stop her from rapping Lucca on the head.

It was a ways off, but they couldn't land any closer to the cliff. The snow here had fully melted, because blades of grass were seen all around them, but it was frozen in the dew of the morning. Even a flower (which the girls felt happy to see) had begun to grow amid the cold conditions. Frog led the way as the path inclined slightly and went up a while. Finally, the point of the cliff and a solitary figure could be seen. Whoever it was, he wore a long mantle that flowed out behind him as the cold ocean breeze went through him and the innumerable blades of grass. As they got closer, they began to realize who it was. How could they not see it before? A huge scythe was in his hand, with the handle's end buried in the ground. A flow of blue, silvery hair flapped in the wind. A bare arm was pale white as if he had frozen during his wait. Unfortunately, he had not.

"I've been waiting for you…" His voice was cold and low and had no hint of emotion in it.

Frog felt his hand instinctively fly for his sword. That feeling of anxiety was suddenly replaced with a vile hatred that seemed to ooze from every faucet of his being. His gloved hands (which hid from his own eyes the curse that had caused him a life-time of torment) tightened around the one sword that was fabled to bring the death of a mystic as powerful as this. He was not the only one who greeted the mystery guest like this. The whole party stood poised with their weapons bared. The figure only turned about to face them, his hood still covering his face. With a quick motion he grabbed the fastener of his mantle and let it fly off, letting it blow past Frog as brushed his leg. (He did not pay it any mind and only kept his eyes on the owner)

There he stood. A man that had caused the death of countless people in a war that was only for his selfish ambitions. He was a man devoid of all feeling and a man of powerful magic that was strong enough to bring fear of his opponents. Yet, he was a defeated man. A tired man. And it showed somehow. He was not smirking in a taunting manner as he did the first time they met. He almost seemed melancholy as he turned around to face the sea, turning his back on his enemies that had their weapons drawn. Frog glared as he hissed out his name as vehemently as his companions had ever heard him say it.

"Magus…"


	4. The duel

"The once proud Kingdom of Zeal now lies at the bottom of the sea." The party that stood behind Magus slowly began to lower their weapons, confused at such an unusual greeting. The lone figure continued on, "its inhabitants have joined it and some have even become part of that unspeakable demon." The wind rustled about them and suddenly stopped as if nature itself wanted to hear the tale that he was about to weave. Even then, there was a long silence that had a heavy sorrow carried within it. Even the party who had despised the speaker felt a pang of sorrow as he addressed those who had died.

"I was one of them once…Long ago…"

Sometimes there is a moment where obscure facts and feelings suddenly rush back into you and combine into a myriad of theories and possibilities. That had happened at that moment to Frog. This feeling of anxiety he was feeling had been felt before. He only felt it when he was thinking of Magus, but at one point he felt this same anxiety from someone he did not even know. (Or did he)? His mind suddenly reflected back to the odd little boy who approached their party while Crono was still among them. He had flowing blue hair that seemed to lilt behind him as he walked. Frog remembered his red eyes that seemed to pierce into the very soul. He saw the boy so vividly in his mind so that it was almost looking into a picture. He also remembered a cold voice and the most awful prophesy (spoken so full of conviction that it was almost like a proclamation).

"_The black wind blows. One among you will soon perish."_

It was so clear to him now that Frog could not see a difference between the two. He pointed a finger to him and said (almost in an accusatory tone), "I know thee! Thou art that little urchin, Janus, which had foretold Crono's death!" Those same eyes that seemed to perceive thoughts were once again seen in this man who glared back at Frog, fixedly and unblinking. His eyes did not move, yet his lips did as he spun a story of how he came to be. "Yes. It has been years since I have seen the place of my birth. It had also been years, and my torment to see it all fall once again. I was once named Janus so many years ago, but all that has changed when 'it' came along." His teeth gnashed together.

"'It'?" Marle inclined her head to the side.

"Stupid girl. 'It' was the same thing that took your precious Crono away."

Frog did not move or put away his weapon. He wanted to fight, but at the same time he wanted to hear what his nemesis had to say. He demanded information. "What have you to do with Lavos? Why did you summon him? Why did you try to kill him?" Magus sighed deeply. He was quiet for a moment, and it almost seemed as if he didn't want to tell the story. Then he began, "It was a strange thing to see the same thing twice. It was also strange to watch myself relive all the recent events in Zeal Kingdom unfold. As you know it, I was Janus who had lived in this time. I had knowledge of what happened to the past, but since our last encounter I was taken away back to this very time. With my knowledge of this era's history, I was able to fool the queen into thinking I was a prophet."

"'Your mother' is what you mean." Lucca was quick to add.

"She is no longer my mother. She is a part of Lavos now." Magus said, with no hint of sadness. Lucca was about to question Magus if he had a soul, but Frog wordlessly told her to not pursue it. "Since I was a little child she was obsessed with harnessing Lavos' power. It had consumed her since my birth. If my conscious hadn't forbid me, I would have killed her before the fall of Zeal. Even I, Lucca, have a soul, and how little serves me well. I had hoped to save them both by defeating Lavos. My mother would be freed from her ill mentality and my sister would not be left behind to die…if she indeed had died. The three wise men would also not be thrown into random times and Zeal would continue to exist in idealistic peace. I also would not be sent forward in time to become what I am…"

"Yes. I was sent forward in time. I had the horrible misfortune of being discovered by the general of the Mystics. He mistreated me and abused me. I was a slave until I was able to cast apart my shackles and defeat him in a duel. He became my servant and I continued to lure them to do my bidding by aiding their armies. I told them that I could summon a great creature to destroy every human in existence and they helped me summon Lavos. I only wanted revenge at that point for what I had lost and what I had become. When I was sent back to my age after our battle; oh, you could not imagine how I felt. It was the first time in years I had truly smiled. But I have failed. I was too weak. Not only me, but all of you were too weak. Everything was taken from me again…Nothing can stand up to Lavos. Anyone that does will be burnt to a cinder…just like that foolish boy."

A sudden yell echoed throughout the cliffs of the coast.

"Surely thou dost not speak so idly of that 'boy' that has saved your life! Surely you speak not of Crono!" Frog was breathing so heavily that he chest rose and fell with every gasp. His eyes were furrowed and narrow. Magus turned to Frog with a wicked grin that was all too familiar of the day they had fought with Crono at their side. Magus sneered and taunted the party who were red with anger at such disrespect, "He was a fool to challenge him. Mess with fire and you get burned!"

"Hold thy tongue Magus! If thou wilt not refrain, then I shall remove it for thee!"

"Fight me if you dare! I have nothing left to lose!" The laughter of a madman filled the air, and it was colder than any wind that they had felt.

The party was starting to dash towards Magus with the intent to destroy him completely. They would have done so if they hadn't heard a single yell among all of theirs. "Touch him not! He is mine!" The party froze in their footsteps as Frog walked past them. Magus raised an eyebrow in surprise at such a request. Magus scoffed as his opponent drew near. "You could barely defeat me when there were three of you. What hope do you have by yourself?" Frog pointed his sword towards Magus as he still advanced, "Whether I am successful or not, it does not matter. You have cursed me and taken away my identity, you have murdered my dear friend, and you mock the death of my closet friend who had died to save you and me! I will not stand by idly! I swear by god that I will have my revenge!"

"Then fight me if you truly mean it!"

No sooner had Magus challenged him did Frog dash forward with the speed of a wolf. His arms wielding the legendary Masamune were a threat to Magus who had made note of it. It was a well placed blow that had nearly defeated him last time. Frog swung the blade in a wide arc, barely skimming the grass and flying towards Magus' jugular. A quick twist of his head evaded it and he twirled his scythe with a single had and swung it as if he were the grim reaper himself. There was so much speed and power in each thrust insomuch that it all seemed to be in a huge blur. Frog, knowing his height to be dismal compared to Magus' own height, would compensate for this by repeatedly leaping and flipping in the air all around Magus as he continued swinging as if he were trying to catch a fly. With each leap and twist, Frog would try to stab or slash at Magus, but each time he was quick and attentive. Blocking it was not a problem.

Suddenly a strong wind erupted from around Magus' person and the gale through Frog back and landed on his feet. Magic had suddenly come into play as the magician stuck his hand out and summoned a bolt of lightning to crash down around Frog. Thick clouds gathered overhead and rumbled menacingly as bolt after bolt descended and struck the each with a loud and blinding clap of thunder. The cliff shook but did not collapse as a few members of Frog's party started to stumble from the quaking. "I can shake the very foundation of the earth! I can summon the very mountains to crush you into powder you freak of nature!" Lightening came not from the sky but from Magus' fingertips at this point. It was only enough to momentarily stun an enemy, but he was still unable to hit his foe as he darted back and forth. He growled in frustration as Frog drew near to him and he leapt into the air and brought the Masamune down, and it almost seemed like it would splint Magus' head in two. He was faster than that. He gripped his scythe with two hands as he thrust the handle bar into the air. There was a loud clang as metal met metal. Frog glared as he missed his chance. As his body came down, Magus swung his weapon for Frog's midsection. Luckily for Frog, the point missed him, but he still hooked him with the curve of his blade. He spun around quickly, letting the motion keep him pinned against the hook. Frog's armor protected him from the sharp, inside edge of the blade, but it sparked and scraped as Magus seemed to get ready to throw him like a discus into the sea.

He was right. Magus spun, faster and faster, and as he did Frog could feel the gravity pull back on his arms and legs while his abdomen was stretching from the strain. Suddenly, Magus jerked in the opposite direction once he faced the sun with his scythe pointed to the side and Frog flew from his sling, but he was free-falling to the ocean which was at least hundreds of yards below him. He didn't scream, but a whoosh of air and his eventual disappearance signified his loss. The party stood dumbstruck just as they had been when Crono was killed. Magus spun about and smiled. "Another one bites the dust. I may not be able to take on Lavos. But you are like fish in a barrel." He smiled smugly as he tucked his scythe under his arms and readjusted his gloves. He began to walk to the party, intent to finish the job. They drew their weapons anxiously and were about to dash forward when…

"Ah!"

Magus shivered and his back ached as he was jutted forward by a powerful jet of freezing water. His scythe fell and he went face-down into the grass. He was dripping wet and quickly pushed his self up and spun around to see a most amazing sight. Frog was alive. He was floating in the air with his sword sheathed, but not by his own power. Surrounding him was a ball of water that floated in the air. He had saved himself by controlling the ocean below him. His arms suddenly outstretched, and as it seemed that was the way he controlled its flow, because at that moment two streams of water burst from the ball that was the size of a house. The jets of water twisted and turned and headed straight for Magus. He took off, having the ability to levitate his self, and fly towards Frog, picking up his scythe as he flew by. He accelerated up ward as the streams followed them. Frog was moving his hands frantically as he controlled the water as if they were his own arms. Magus soared through the air like a bird as his cape flapped behind him. More and more jets of water erupted and began to pursue Magus in his flight. Occasionally he would be struck and corkscrew in the air as it did so. A barrage of ice within the water slammed into him as the jets did. With each hit, Magus grew more and more frustrated. In a surprise move he jerked about and flew towards Frog, who quickly began to unsheathe his sword. Magus flew straight through the frigid water and swung with his scythe. Frog turned in the water as he evaded the blow, but Magus came back again and flew through the ball again, water erupting in splashes as he passed through it. Frog had stopped summoning jets of water as Magus assaulted him as fast as his flight would allow. Some blows were exchanged as they battled in the water, and mostly they were dealt by Magus, which was a result of his effective use of momentum. Frog had difficulty maneuvering with the speed he desired in the water, but he still moved as fast as any other creature could hope to move. Suddenly, Magus grinned wickedly as if he realized something Frog hadn't. He decelerated his dive and immediately accelerated into the air above and raised his hand to the sky.

Frog's eyes widened as he realized what he was about to do and with incredible speed he swam upwards to where Magus was. If only Magus had done it sooner he would've had his victory, but he was too late. Frog flew out from the top of the water as a bolt of lightning struck the ball and volts of electricity ran through the whole as the ball fell apart and fell to the ocean below from whence it came. Frog was now flying upwards from his momentum and swung his sword once again towards Magus' ribcage.

It connected!

There was no cut because the blow had landed on armor, but it was enough to knock the wind out of Magus as he lost focus and fell to the ground. He landed with a loud thud and quickly got to his feet and parried the same blow that Frog had tried before as he fell back to earth with him. It was another whirlwind of swordsmanship as the two spun and dodged, kicked and flipped, parried and thrust until it almost seemed like there would never be an end to it all. "Face it, Glenn! You will never win! I killed Cyrus like the dog he was and you are next!" Magus screamed amidst the clangs and clashes of their weapons. Frog retorted, "I cannot die! There is too much still for my companions and I too accomplish! You said it yourself! You have nothing!" A flash of sadness slowly came over Magus and that was enough. The Masamune slashed his armor and another followed after another and another until he was far too slow to block Glenn's onslaught. He was torn left and right as each successive thrust and slash let more and more blood fall in heavy, thick drops.

"This is the end, Magus!" Frog leapt into the air, bringing the legendary Masamue over his head as he gripped it tightly in two hands. Magus' eyes were shut as he felt the sword pierce through his skin as Frog slashed him diagonally across the whole of his body. He gasped like a fish out of water as he fell to his knees, his hands bracing him from a further fall. The party stood from a distance, stunned beyond belief. The wizard Magus has fallen. Frog stood stunned as well as he stood before him. Then with a wistful and silent sigh, he whispered, "Cyrus, thou hast been avenged." He sheathed his sword as Magus kneeled before him, bloody and nigh death. Frog turned away and his friends had followed suit as they headed for the Epoch.

"Wait…" A voice croaked from behind them.

Frog turned about with the rest of the party as Magus eyed them with a grin. "What do you plan on doing now? Do you plan on fighting Lavos?" No one said anything, but Frog shook his head resolutely. Magus laughed, but it sounded more like a wheeze, "It took almost all your strength to defeat me. You remember that day when we all saw what he really was first-hand. You can't possibly win! There is nothing you can do!" Frog shook his head curtly, "Even if there is nothing we can do, it would be pointless to just wait for the inevitable to happen. We will find Crono and then we will defeat Lavos together."

"He's dead. You know that."

Frog hung his head while Marle was near tears as she whispered, "That's not true." Magus laughed a cold, unfeeling laugh, "There is nothing to gain by denial, little girl. He is dead, and I know it. The magic of life flows through my veins and I sense things that others cannot. I can sense the very force of life, and I felt his life burn away like a cinder." Ayla shouted loudly, "You lie! You are trying to deceive us!" Magus shook his head slowly, as he said even more resolutely, "He is gone…You will never find him. You know that because I had anticipated your coming when we fought for the first time. He is dead, and his body is a blackened husk that is lying at the bottom of this ocean." He jerked his head slightly to the side to indicate that very ocean he spoke of. There was a general silence among them, for something was telling them that what he said was true, but Lucca stepped forward, "You aren't lying? He is truly dead?" Magus nodded and all their hearts collectively sank. Even Frog felt hallow after his victory as he had nothing to do but agree with his rival. It is a hope that never fades even if they tell themselves that it isn't possible. Even Robo, who was logical in all things, had imagined an extremely small ratio that he could still be alive somewhere. At that moment, they knew it without a doubt. They turned about and began to walk away.

"But there is a way to bring him back."

The group stopped in their tracks as Magus (slowly and painfully) shuffled to his feet. He looked at them and his look did no longer bear the anger and hatred he had always carried with him. Instead, there was a look of sympathy. None of them dared to speak as they watched him turn back to the ocean, "I imagine you have met the guru of time?" Frog stepped forward, "We do not know of whom thou speakest of." Magus shook his head, "I imagine you did once before if not hundreds of times. I sensed him when I traveled through time. He could only exist where all times connect…The end of time…" The party rose their eyebrows as they glanced at each other, "Does he mean that man that is always standing under that lamppost?"

"Yes…The gurus of the Zeal Kingdom were not like all its other inhabitants. They were noble and befitting to an age of reason. They labored over many things to progress human life and understanding, even the power to control time. During their years of research, they had created a device that could travel through time and space to fix an error in the time stream or bring about a change that time itself would want to mend for an important purpose. It was called the Chrono Trigger."

Frog was surprised, "Chrono…how strange. Just like his name."

Magus nodded in reply. "The gurus knew more than any of us could hope to comprehend. They created that device, knowing that someday there would be a use for it. It could be intended for your friend. But don't you celebrate just yet. The gurus, as outstanding as they were, are still limited by their errors that all of us inherit once we are born. Their work is far from perfect. There is an immense probability that it won't work…Then again…there is a small possibility it could…" He coughed and sputtered as his knees weakened and blood dribbled down his chin, but he used his scythe to keep his balance. He leaned on it like it was a cane. "But you must remember, that even if the device works, it is still time that decides whether or not he can exist."

"Why are you telling us this?" Lucca asked, her arms in a shrug. "Why would you tell us this after we killed you?"

He looked at Glenn with eyes that held the same sympathy. "You all remind me of myself. The innocent me that existed before the Mammon machine was created and before the time I was taken to the future. I had hoped that I could find a way back to my sister who I loved so much." It suddenly dawned on this party that not only was Magus the little boy Janus, he was also the only brother to a sister named Schala. Strangely enough, they never made this connection, and as they suddenly remembered her sacrifice to send them away from the Ocean palace after Crono delivered them from the void, they regretted their fight against Magus. The had just killed the brother of the same woman that had saved them. Even Frog felt remorse for his actions, but another part of Frog still burned within him and refused to admit he had wronged anyone. Magus coughed up more blood as he spoke faster, knowing that his time was near, "I did it because I know how it feels to lose hope and go through life not knowing that you had the opportunity the entire time. My vengeance against Lavos blinded me and I hurt countless people, but it was people descended from the ones that had caused my pain. I do not concern myself with their death, for they had caused my own. All of you are descendants of Zeal, with ancestors that lived in ignorance, not learning to appreciate the paradise that lay before them. I hate them all, but I see that you are all different from them." He looked at Frog, who answered him with stony silence.

"Glenn. I have given you important information. Will you return the favor?" Magus asked.

"I wish not to accept it, but my honor binds me to it. What is that thou desire?"

"Defeat Lavos. Punish him. Grind him into powder, and I swear on my soul that you will retain your true form."

Frog's heart leapt at these words and he was surprised beyond measure, but that was not all Magus had to say.

Magus gasped his final breath as he said…

"Also…Please find Schala, and tell her…I'm sorry…"

In a sudden, and quick movement, Magus spun to face the sea and his hands stretched to the sky. His cape flew up from under him as a wild wind tore upon the face of the cliff. A bolt of lightening descended and struck Magus and bolts of electricity trickled all over his body as he suddenly vanished into thin air. As he did, a single solitary necklace fell to the ground and landed with a dull clink.

The party drew close to the cliff's edge as they looked about themselves. Magus was nowhere to be seen. Had he died when he vanished. Then they saw at their feet the very pendant that Schala had given to him the day he cried over the future. All at once, they knew that Magus was dead. Frog only stared at his scythe that was sprawled out on the ground. The sense of accomplished justice mingled with sympathy was a conflicting one and at that moment it felt like nothing in his heart made sense. Maybe they were more like Magus then they had once assumed. Slowly, they returned to the Epoch, yet there was something different about them. A sense of hope began to brood inside their hearts and it was contagious. Marle and Lucca were no longer walking, but running to the Epoch, followed by Ayla as they beckoned the others to hurry. They eagerly climbed into the belly of the machine and Lucca began to make the necessary preparations.

At that moment, they realized that Frog still looked over the sea that Magus had been facing as his life came to an end. He did not mourn his death and felt that it was deserved, but he mourned for his life that knew nothing but anger and pain. At that moment, he sincerely wished he was somewhere that would not allow him to suffer anymore, but at the same time he wished he would never get sent to the same place. Even at that point, he suddenly realized a big, gaping hole. His vengeance was complete and nothing could fill that void. In time it would fill, but it would take years for him to find more purpose. It was not how he imagined it…

He had been carrying the scythe in his gloved hands. He went back to the edge of the cliff where Magus had disappeared. With a grunt, he raised the scythe and jammed it into the earth. He began to walk back to the Epoch where everyone waited for him. He did not leave until he turned around and nodded his head to pay his respects. And he silently whispered…

"Goodbye, Magus."

THE END

Author's note: Well, that's it. I only wanted to do a little story that went more into depth after the events of Zeal's destruction. I hope you enjoyed the read. Please feel free to read my other story that focuses on something that I haven't seen much of: A bit of a romantic story involving Ayla and Crono.


	5. Bonus Chapter

_**A Provoked Duel; Bonus chapter**_

_By: Gibson22_

A cool breeze whipped through the valley of the mountain range while a lone figure sat on a moss-covered rock. The wind blew through his dark hair, making his long locks blow in every direction only to land over his eyes. At that moment he didn't care. He was in shock…a wonderfully surprised shock. Everything had felt different, insomuch that only now he realized that the curse had made everything feel different. His skin, which used to be an ugly leathery green, was now smooth and tan. His skin, too thick to feel the wind while he was under the curse, felt dry and comfortable while the wind danced around the follicles of his arm hair which amazed him. He didn't even remember that he had arm hair.

He realized that he had hair, and he saw that his had tanned skin once again, but a worrisome fear tugged at him when he realized he hadn't looked under the gloves that covered his grotesque hands. For the longest time he sat there, hoping and praying to god that it was not just a dream. He had a dream once where he retained his true form before the curse took him, but when he visited everyone they still stared at him as if the curse was never removed. He looked into a mirror and screamed in terror when he realized that he had not changed, but his eyes had fooled him. He woke up with tears in his eyes that night. It would be a horrible torture if he had to pass through such a wicked experience again.

He began to pull on the index finger of his glove, but he hesitated. He reflected on the words of his nemesis before he died. He said very clearly that when he and his party would destroy Lavos that would be the day when he would receive his true form. After they had defeated the demon, they rejoiced and celebrated when they realized the world had been saved. However, as the days passed and the whole world celebrated, he noted with dismay that his form remained the same. The days turned into weeks, and then they had to bid farewell to their friends until god saw fit for them to meet again. He had returned to his own time and continued to roam around the country, making his way through life. He had not changed back. More time passed; weeks turned into months until six months had passed from the day they saved the world. The man could count it down to the very day if he wished, but counting the days was depressing to him.

He felt that he was a fool to believe the words of his enemy. They were bitter rivals bent on the other's destruction. Why would he want him not to suffer? He shook his head and scoffed at himself for believing what he had said. In the end, Magus had the final laugh and would leave the victor wishing that he had traded fates with each other. It would be a cruel lie befitting a man that had caused the death of thousands. However, as he looked at his gloved hands, he remembered the look on his face when he requested Lavos' demise. He seemed different; so unlike the man he grew to hate.

At that point, a happy memory played through Glenn's mind. He was in Crono's time, celebrating along with the others while the Millennial Fair continued all around them. If you think that Frog always reflected on his curse, you would be mistaken. For days there was nothing on his mind except for celebrating with his comrades. The fair was beginning to close and fireworks exploded throughout the night sky, leaving only clouds of smoke behind. Crowds cheered as they were paraded throughout the town square, and at that moment Glenn felt that no one truly paid attention to his curse. He waved warmly to the crowds just as the others had done, but when it was all over and they went to the palace to celebrate away from the crowds, Glenn found himself alone as he walked the long, spacious corridors.

It seemed like he only had to be alone for him to reflect on his curse, for that's when he had no one to remove his painful thoughts by way of carefree conversation. In his time, he left the castle, ashamed of failing his friend. There was time he assisted his friend who was the captain of the guard, but he was murdered and that was when Magus passed the curse onto Glenn. His curse was a mark of shame and he did not wish for his majesty to see him. It was a rarity when he visited the castle, but when he did he would quickly excuse himself or wait outside only to evade the gaze of his old-time-comrades. In this time, he had no inhibitions and explored the castle freely. It was a strange mix of nostalgia and curiosity. It was the same old castle he used to roam; yet time had wrought its changes in almost every single corner.

During his exploration of the castle he found himself on a terrace that overlooked the whole countryside. The terrace was high in the air and it seemed like a long way down. The forest that surrounded the castle looked beautiful in the pale moonlight. A full moon hung in the sky, so bright that stars next to it could hardly be seen. He could see the distant twinkling of city lights and the bright flashes of fireworks while the world celebrated throughout the night. He sighed as he leaned against the ledge with his elbows. His thoughts become more mournful as the scenery began to become more beautiful to him.

"Hey Frog…How are you?"

A heavy, muscled arm relaxed around Glenn's shoulders at that point. The arm did not twitch when it felt Glenn's cold, clammy skin, but it was comfortable as if the arm had always been there. Glenn smiled diminutively as he did not take his gaze of the sprawling scene that lay before him. He nodded in reply; he was still happy to hear himself greet a man whom they thought was dead at one point. "I am in low spirits, Crono."

Yes, he had returned to them. The Chrono Trigger had worked much to the joy of the party. That day, when Crono was resurrected and brought back to them, the whole party ran upon him and all embraced him at once while he sat there bewildered, but happy all the same. That night there was a meteor storm and they fell by the thousands. It almost seemed as if nature had wept for joy just as his companions did. For days they exchanged stories about what had occurred while he was gone. Crono only gave his account of what he felt, saying that after his death he felt like he was taken to a beautiful place that was bright and peaceful where it seemed as if the weight of all his cares fell from his shoulders. He tried desperately to explain, but he lacked the proper language to explain it in all its wonder. If it was the same place the party suspected that he had gone to, then no amount of sages or authors could hope to adequately describe that place. With him, they had conquered Lavos and now their life had went into a state of happiness and prosperity.

However, Crono had become so much more observant during the course of their journey that he deducted that Glenn would always mourn when there was no one with him. For that reason, he had found him out and accompanied him, willing to forego the festivities if necessary. Glenn noted his compassion, and he was moved to honestly by such an unselfish gesture. Glenn had trusted Crono just like he trusted Cyrus, if not more so. It was only natural that he began to tell Crono of his worries and his fears…

"I have nothing left to do in life." Glenn whispered so low that the fireworks booming in the far off distance were louder than he was.

"Why?" Crono asked, facing him while Glenn did nothing but look over the edge.

"Lavos is defeated. Magus has been slain and Cyrus' spirit has been released. I am all that is left."

Crono turned around as he leaned against the railing of the terrace, using his shoulders to anchor himself. A look of sympathy came over his face as he realized what dark thing Frog was contemplating at that point. There was a moment of hesitation before either spoke again, "They say that there is purpose in living." Glenn nodded his head as he kept peering over the edge of the terrace. His heart beat quickly as he felt his resolve waver. He looked at Crono with a slight frown, "What could I possibly do? I can't possibly return to the castle."

"Yes, you possibly can." Crono retorted.

Frog shook his head, "No. I thought that thou would understand my plight. I carry the symbol of my failure. My honor has deserted me."

Crono put his hand on Glenn's shoulder as he looked up to him with those wide eyes that would disturb others, but not Crono. He only smiled as he squeezed his shoulder and said, "Your actions have returned your honor in full. Just because you bear the scar of failure does not mean that you have no honor. Don't you realize that I bear the same scar?" Crono lifted up the stomach of his shirt and there was long scar about six inches on his side. It was from the fight that had killed him. The fight with Lavos and Queen Zeal. Glenn looked away and tried to think of a retort, but could find none. He sighed.

"You have a scar you can hide…"

"If I could, I would show everyone." Crono said.

"Why?"

"Because it shows how much I had given up." He tucked his shirt into his belt once again as he stared off into the distance. It seemed as if he contemplated something that bothered him. He breathed deeply and sighed, seeing that he had no other choice. "Remember when I talked to you about where I went after I died? Remember how we talked about how fortunate we were that I had come back?" Frog nodded, and Crono smirked as he faced him, "I didn't want to come back."

Frog gaped, a little surprised. "What dost thou mean?"

Crono looked fondly to the stars, seemingly happy yet hesitant to speak on it. "I wasn't lying about those feelings. That place that I went to was paradise. There are many things I can't remember because it all seemed like a dream, or it was taken from me, but I felt you guys calling for me." A certain sense of longing filled his voice as he continued, "I didn't want to answer you guys. I wanted to stay in that place where I felt so at home. I felt so at peace and it felt like a warm blanket had wrapped itself around me and the place from where I had come from felt so cold." He looked at Glenn again, only with a look of sternness, "I didn't want to leave! But I did!"

Glenn began to understand, slowly but surely, "Why did you leave such a place?"

Crono looked at him, "Because of you. Because of Marle. Because of Lucca. Because of Ayla. Because of Robo. Because of…Magus…"

Glenn went silent, "You don't mean you saw him there…do you?"

Crono nodded, but softly said, "But he was different than before."

Crono looked over the ledge now and his shoulders tensed. "I had left that place to come back here. Even though we are all so happy now, this place pales in comparison. I thought about doing the same thing you are thinking of now. I miss it so much, but I know that would be selfish of me." Frog felt a pang of guilt as he turned away from Crono. His friend spoke still, "There is still too much for me to do. I know that one day I can go back there, but it will be when time decides it! Not a moment before! I left it, and you have the audacity to throw away that sacrifice I made for you. Don't you dare think of putting me the pain you went through, especially after I left that place for all of you!" Glenn only stared at him as he towered over him, and it seemed as if he were a madman, but at that moment he realized the love and devotion he had for them all. There was more in him then they could contemplate.

"Why did you tell such things to me?"

"Because you don't seem to realize your worth. I care too much about you and the others to let you suffer." He looked about him and then the full meaning of his explanation hit Glenn with a swelling feeling of hope in his chest. "I won't end myself, because I know that if I work hard enough I can be happy here too. Others will be happy while I'm here. You have felt happier when you had your original form, just as I felt happier in that other world. Don't you see? You can make your own happiness. Don't give up just because you aren't happy at the moment. Make your life paradise. I don't know if that is possible, but I'm always one to give it a try." They both chuckled; each still feeling tears well up in their eyes.

"So thou dost have understanding of my plight. It merely is another circumstance."

"We are more alike than you think, Glenn."

"But what if I never return to my original form?" He asked, hanging his head.

Crono smiled, "Repeat after me: Whatever will be, will be."

"What?" Frog asked, looking at him curiously.

"Life is meant to be challenging. When something isn't going right, just tell yourself that it will work out for the best…whatever that may be."

"Whatever will be, will be." Frog repeated this in such a way that it was evident he was trying it on for size.

Crono laughed, patting Glenn pleasantly on the back, "Right. Now there are some gorgeous women in there who seem lonely and in desperate need of male company. I, myself, am a little shy around some women if you hadn't noticed, so I need your help." He wrapped his arm around Frog as he pulled him back into the warmth of the castle, whispering his plan into his ear, leaving Glenn uncertain if it was their comrades or anyone in general. "I take the blonde and you can hit on any other one. Remember, wit is key. And if they don't dance with us then no problem!"

"Whatever will be, will be!" Frog let out with a shout and the two guffawed as they went back into the festivities.

That was probably one of the happiest moments of Glenn's life. Since the day the curse had come upon him he did not cease to miserable in one way or the other. With the guidance of his friend he realized that he wasn't alone in the matter and that he would always have him and his other comrades if he ever needed them. That night he did get a dance partner and he danced the night away. It was a sorrowful day when they separated and went to their own times. However, the prospect of future visits was always a pleasantry. Since that day, Frog never contemplated ending the pain, but would always try to make the situation suit him. He did return to the castle, much to the joy of the queen and king and he was welcomed openly. He took up Cyrus' place as the knight captain.

Now we return to that moment where it was unknowingly a dream or a reality. That night he had fallen asleep a distance away from his guards as they marched to assist in repairs from the war. He had woken up that morning to an extraordinary sight, but a harrowing one at that. He felt different, but as he tried to get up he found that his appendages have lengthened to their normal frame. He gasped, looking at his arms and his bare feet. The hair that had been gone for years had returned thicker and longer than before. However, as it was mentioned before, he feared that it was a horrible trick of the mind. Therefore, he hesitated as he stared at the very thing that confirmed to him his curse. It was mentioned at the beginning of this tale that his hands had always brought the reality of his fate to his eyes. There was the fear that once he removed the gloves he would be the same. It did seem strange to him, that after six longs months this would happen to his now. Still, he smiled as he remembered the words of his most cherished friend.

"Whatever will be, will be."

With that, he felt no anxiety as he tugged on the index finger of his glove. It slid off easily and Glenn let it fall gently to the ground. His eyes immediately began to swell with tears as he beheld the sight. His chest began to heave and his teeth gnashed together as gasped in between sobs. His appendage flexed as he tested it to see whether or not it would change form. It did not. That is, it did not revert to his curse.

His hand, which was once the constant reminder of his curse was calloused and tan once more. He frantically pulled off the other glove to find that it matched the other. His tears poured down his cheeks as he brought his hands to his face. They felt so warm and soft. He constantly massaged his face, still trying to discern if this was dream, yet he did not wake up. Had it finally happened? "Who are you?" A man stood in front of the man, dumbfounded when he spoke with the same voice of his captain. The man broke out into tears as he ran back to camp, shouting, "The curse on Glenn is broken! The curse on Glenn is broken!" The men gathered and quickly rushed back to witness this joyous event, Glenn was only happy to sit on that rock and cry for joy into his hands.

The curse had been lifted...

The End

Author's Note: I wasn't really planning on writing this chapter, but I did this in a way of thanks to Locuster for his in-depth review. I tried applying his advice into my story, but my writing still tends to be over-descriptive, describing meaningless actions, especially while Crono and Frog talk on the balcony. At least now I'm aware of it! Heh, heh. I still have a ways to go, but I hope I improve. Once again, thanks to all of you for submitting your reviews and I promise to critique yours as fairly and as honestly as I can. I also suggest that you check out Locuster's story: The Chrono Trigger. He does good things.

-Paul

P.S. Oh yeah…I don't own the Chrono Trigger franchise…duh. 


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